


Alternate Universe

by MaxWrite



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-20
Updated: 2010-01-20
Packaged: 2017-10-18 13:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/189403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxWrite/pseuds/MaxWrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hikaru and Nyota find Pavel and Scotty in Engineering after hours and wonder what the heck they're up to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alternate Universe

"If he's anywhere, he's here," said Hikaru as he and Nyota stepped off the turbolift and into the vast labyrinth of tubes and catwalks that was Engineering. Staircases and walkways crisscrossed above their heads while giant cylinders snaked every which way, thrumming with a power that you felt in your chest as soon as you stepped inside, and expanded to every inch of you as you ventured further in.

"He spends all his time here these days," Hikaru added as they went further in, keeping their eyes peeled for Pavel Chekov.

"Even his off hours?" asked Nyota.

"Yeah, he loves it here. I suppose I can see why. This is the heart of the ship; I think it speaks to him."

Nyota smiled. "So, Scotty has his own Mini Me now?"

"Oh, don't even get me started on how much he talks about Scotty."

"Well, that's sweet. It's nice that he's found a mentor. Ah, wait. I see them. Over there."

Sure enough, standing at a computer terminal that was tucked in an out-of-the-way little corner were Pavel and Scotty. They were chattering back and forth, hands gesturing enthusiastically, accents doing battle.

"I am not sure that will ever be achievable," Pavel was saying.

"Aw, come now, lad. Dream a little."

"Scotty, at speeds like that, a ship would be impossible to control. Speeds like that –"

"– will be reached one day, there's no getting around it –"

"– driver coil efficiency would drop dramatically –"

"– but if the exponent of the warp factor increases _gradually_ , Pavel –"

"– impossible to expend the amount of energy required –"

"No, no, look here. This is what I mean."

Both men hunched over the screen and Scotty's hands went flying over the controls. Nyota looked at Hikaru.

"Are they still working?" she whispered. "What time is it?"

"Late," Hikaru said, crossing his arms and watching the pair with concern. "Pavel's been so distracted lately, and this has got to be why; Scotty's got him working ridiculous hours."

"What are they even doing?"

"Shh. They've stopped talking."

The two men were silent now and Scotty was watching Pavel with a soft smile on his face. Pavel looked up at him, unknowingly showing his profile to Hikaru and Nyota, and they could see that he was now looking at Scotty with a new sort of awe.

"What did you do?" he asked quietly.

"Adjusted the warp curve," said Scotty. "There, see? And I swapped the eight for a six. Simple. Now, this is all still theoretical, mind you; I can't for the life of me resolve this string here." Scotty gestured at something on the screen. "But it's a definite possibility. In fact, I'll eat my tricorder if we don't see this advancement in the next, say, 40 or 50 years."

"When did you come up with this?" Pavel asked, his awe shifting to something else now, something Hikaru couldn't identify.

"Not long ago." Scotty grinned. "Now I'm just waiting around for the scientific community to catch up with me."

What was that in Pavel's eyes? Hikaru wanted to dismiss it, but it kept making his brain trip over itself.

"Do you see what I'm seeing?" he whispered. "What is that?"

"I don't kno – oh …" Nyota gasped and her eyes widened as she clamped her hand over her mouth.

"What? Nyota, what is it?"

"We've got to go." She grabbed his hand and tried to tug him away, but Hikaru refused to move.

"No, if something's wrong, I want to know what it is!"

"I'll tell you once we've left – oh, oh wow." As she looked at the pair again, her eyebrows shot up and she stopped tugging at Hikaru. She turned partially away, and a moment later Hikaru saw why. He looked and found the pair locked in a firm kiss, Pavel's arms draped about Scotty's neck. It looked as though he'd caught Scotty off guard; Scotty seemed to just be righting himself after having been surprised into overbalancing. He put his hands on Pavel's waist, and Hikaru imagined it was at least partially to steady his overenthusiastic young protégé, because it looked like Pavel just couldn't get close enough to him.

"Hikaru," Nyota said, doing a bit of a ventriloquist impression, clenching her teeth and barely moving her lips. "We really shouldn't be here right now. We're intruding. Let's go before they see us."

Hikaru cocked an eyebrow at her. "Are you kidding? The ship could be under attack right now, and I don't think they'd notice."

The kiss finally broke and the two men pressed their foreheads together, apparently savoring the moment, eyes still closed.

"You are very brilliant man," Pavel murmured.

"You're not so bad yourself," Scotty replied. "I think this is the nicest first date I've ever had."

Pavel grinned. "Hold your applause until the end," he said as he fixed Scotty with a smoldering stare. "We are not done yet, Mr. Scott."

A soft, distinctly horny sounding little hum escaped Scotty as their lips met again, and Scotty's hands went wandering, which was Hikaru's cue to finally avert his eyes.

"Whoa," he said, looking toward the ceiling. "Okay, time to go."

" _Thank_ you. We shouldn't be watching this."

They departed in silence and didn't say a word until they were safely strolling down a bright corridor, at which point they exchanged a glance and burst into fits of giggles.

"In what universe does that count as a date?" Hikaru asked in disbelief.

"Scotty's universe. And now Pavel's, apparently. And I think we just discovered why Pavel's been so distracted lately. Did you see the _look_ in his eyes?"

"But they're in Engineering. And they're still in uniform. So, wait, hang on. All that stuff about theoretical warp speeds; was that … foreplay?"

Nyota just looked at him, her mouth tight from trying to contain her laughter.

"Seriously? _That's_ a date?"

Nyota shrugged. "That's Scotty."

END


End file.
